1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a selective permeability energy recovery device and more particularly pertains to selectively transferring thermal and/or humidity properties from a first warmer and/or moister flowing fluid to a cooler and/or drier second flowing fluid with no contaminants being transferred.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The basis of the present invention relates to the transfer properties between two different flows of fluids of different properties. The properties of temperature and content of water will try to reach an equilibrium between two different fluid flows. The present invention allows for the transfer of total energy, all energy consumed for any thermal process. Total energy includes sensible energy and latent energy. Sensible energy relates to temperature only. Latent energy relates to humidity. The particular property of the unique design of the present invention is called selectivity, the membranes or skins are used as primary embodiments and have the properties to absorb, diffuse and desorb water vapor, and because of its thickness makes it very efficient in the transferring of heat from one side to the other. The selectivity, a function of the permeability of the material makes it possible to transfer water vapor and block the transfer between air flows of air, CO, CO2, ammonia, propane, Freon, formaldehyde and other unwanted contaminants. This membrane or skin has very good flexibility and resistance to oils and aromatic solvents and also is highly resistant to a wide range of chemical agents. It has great vibration absorption properties.
The use of property transfer systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, transfer systems heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of heat and/or humidity exchange of various designs and configurations are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,115 issued to Brickle et al., assigned to Munters Corporation, which relates to an Air-Conditioning System Using a Desiccant Core; U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,898 issued to Yoshino et al., assigned to Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, which relates to a Static Heat-And-Moisture Exchanger; U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,007 issued to Yoshino et al., assigned to Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, which relates to an Apparatus for Effecting Continuous and Simultaneous Transfer of Heat and Moisture Between Two Air Streams; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,129 issued to Yano et al., assigned to Matsuhita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., which relates to a Heat Exchanging System.
In this respect, the transfer system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of more efficiently transferring thermal and moisture properties from a warmer and/or moister first flowing fluid to a cooler and/or drier second flowing fluid while including selective permeability with respect to unwanted fluids.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved transfer system which can be used for transferring thermal and/or humidity properties from a warmer and/or moister first flowing fluid to a cooler and/or drier second flowing fluid. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of heat exchangers of various designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved energy transfer/recovery system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved transfer system which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a new and improved transfer system for transferring thermal and moisture properties between a first flow of air and a second flow of air, the first and second flows of air having different thermal and moisture properties, the transfer system comprising, in combination, a plurality of spacer components in a stacked relationship including a plurality of first spacer components defining a first path of travel for the first flow and a plurality of second spacer components defining a second path of travel for the second flow, the first and second spacer components being stacked in an alternating relationship; a plurality of HYTREL or similar brand engineering thermoplastic elastomer located between each of the spacer components and adapted to transfer heat therethrough from the warmer to the cooler flow and to transfer moisture therethrough from the moister to the drier fluid by absorbing, diffusing and desorbing; and a desiccant layer on the heat exchanger media on a common side thereof. HYTREL is a trademark of E.I. duPont De Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del., and relates to a thermoplastic elastomer formed as a membrane or sheet with absorptive capacity which diffuses fluid passing there through.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved transfer system which has all the advantages of the prior art transfer systems and none of the disadvantages.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved total energy heat exchanger which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved selective permeability energy recovery device which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system for exchanging total energy which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such property transfer system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved total energy heat exchanger which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to transfer thermal and/or moisture properties from a warmer first flowing fluid to a cooler second flowing fluid.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved property transfer assembly for transferring properties from a first flowing fluid to a second flowing fluid comprising a plurality of spacer components in a stacked relationship including at least one first spacer component defining a first path of travel for the first flow and at least one second spacer component defining a second path of travel for the second flow, the first and second spacer components being separated in a spaced relationship; and a transfer sheet located between the spacer components and adapted to transfer heat therethrough from the warmer to the cooler flow and to transfer moisture therethrough from the moister to the drier fluid.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.